Floods and landslips in Kodagu reported last year had left many families devastated with houses damaged and livelihood and belongings lost.
Texas Instruments, a U.S.-based technology company, joined hands with Habitat for Humanity India to support 12 disaster-affected families with housing. Four new disaster-resilient homes were constructed and eight homes were repaired in Nandigunda and Gowdalli in Somawarpet taluk.
The new homes have a living room, bedroom, kitchen, toilet, and a steel staircase with RCC roofing. The home repair work included wall repairs, roofing, plastering, painting, and constructing individual household latrines. Solar home lighting systems have also been provided to 12 homeowners, a press release said here.
The homes were handed over to the families recently in a ceremony which was attended virtually by Aditya Salian, manager, community relations, Antaash Sheikh, director, communications, and Shetul Thakrar, director, finance and operations, from Texas Instruments India along with Rajan Samuel, MD, Habitat for Humanity India.
The 12 families earn their living by working as daily wage labourers in coffee plantations. The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown had posed a dual crisis to the flood-hit families, the release added.
“The disasters had hampered the progress of marginalised communities. In collaboration with Texas Instruments, we rehabilitated the flood-affected families through shelter, building their resilience and helping them return to a life of normalcy,” said Dr. Samuel at the virtual handover of homes.
On the disaster relief project, Mr. Thakrar said: “We are glad to have partnered in enabling resilience through shelter and providing safe living conditions for the flood-affected. The housing project has helped in reversing the untoward effects of the floods.”
The release said Naveena Kumar, who got a new home, thanked Habitat for Humanity India and Texas Instruments for helping families.
